Racing action prevailed last Friday night at North Central Arkansas Speedway as 80+ cars packed the track and fans packed the stands when NCAS and O’Reilly Auto Parts presented the Mid-American Racing Series (MARS) Late Models and full race program.

Fans were treated to hard, fast racing mixed with some thrills and spills as each racing division represented battled it out on the track for the win.

Racing action began when 16 Hobby Stock cars filled the track for their 20-lap feature race with Ken Williams on the pole and Mike Mayfield on the outside. Row two housed Kelly Hancock and Terry Ray. Row three stabled the first and second place point’s contenders, Heath Davenport and Chris Davidson.

Ken Williams jumped to the front to lead the field in the first lap followed by Mayfield, Hancock, Ray, Davenport and Davidson. On lap 2, Mayfield was leading the way when Bill Hickerson, 28, and Ray Haney, 22, got together in turn 2 bringing out a caution and sending both drivers to the tailback position. On the restart, Mayfield baubled in turn 2 and Davenport took the lead followed by Williams and Davidson. The restart saw another caution to allow track officials to remove a barricade tire that was on the track. On the restart, Davenport continued his lead followed by Davidson, Williams, Mayfield, Ray, Ken Schaufler, 00, Hancock and Jayson Fisk, 73.Another caution was thrown at the halfway mark when Eric Lowery, 20, looped his car in turn 2. At the same time, the 49R of Ed Schultz retired his car for the night due to mechanical problems.

On the restart, Davenport was once again in command of the field followed by Davidson, Williams, Mayfield, Ray, Schaufler and Fisk. On lap 13, Mayfield challenged Williams for third, but Williams held on to the spot. On lap 15, the caution flag flew again when Schaufler slowed on the track due to mechanical problems and Bill Hickerson, 28, bounced out of turn 4 and into the infield. On the restart, Davenport charged to the front followed by Davidson, Williams, Ray, Mayfield and Fisk as Haney pulled off the track due to mechanical problems leaving a three-lap shootout for the remainder of the field. On the final lap, Davenport was in the lead coming out of turn 4 when Davidson bumped him into the infield costing Davenport the victory. Davidson crossed the finish line for the win followed by Williams and Mayfield. Finishing out the top five were Ray and Fisk. Davenport got back in the action and managed a tenth place finish. Angry fans booed Davidson’s actions in victory lane when he apologized to Davenport for the incident.

Seven Super Stocks charged onto the track for their 20-lap feature race with Dave Wallace on the pole and John Mostrom on the outside. Row two stabled Joe Davenport and Curt Cotter. Row three held Greg Ott and Curtis Lawson. Finishing out the field was Josh Farris.

On lap 1, Wallace shot to the front followed by Mostrom, Davenport, Ott, Cotter, Farris and Lawson. On lap 2, a caution was thrown when Cotter and Farris got together in turn 2 sending both drivers to the tailback position. On the restart, Wallace continued to lead the way followed by Mostrom, Davenport, Ott, Cotter, Lawson, and Farris. On lap 5, Mostrom passed Wallace on the backstretch for the lead and took Davenport with him. At the same time, Lawson left the track with mechanical problems. At the halfway point, Mostrom was still in command of the field followed by Davenport, Ott, Cotter, Wallace and Farris. On lap 18, Mostrom began lapping slower traffic. Leading for 15 consecutive laps, Mostrom took the checkered flag for his fourth win at NCAS followed by Davenport and Ott. Finishing out the top five were Cotter and Wallace.

Seven Mini Stocks were on hand to do battle in their 15-lap feature race with Benny Arnall on the pole and Wayne DeGase on the outside. Row two held Steve Faria and Jack Essary. In row three sat Mark Vanshle and Becky Chatelain and finishing out the field was Scott Westbrook.

Arnall took and early race lead followed by Faria, Essary, Vanshle, DeGase, Chatelain and Westbrook. On lap 3, Essary took the lead from Arnall forcing him into second. On lap 6, the caution flag flew when Vanshle looped his car coming out of turn 2 sending him to the tailback position. On the restart, Essary led the way followed by Arnall, Faria, DeGase, Chatelain, Vanshle and Westbrook. On lap 11, Vanshle took fifth place from Chatelain and Westbrook left the track with mechanical problems. Essary found the checkered flag first for the win followed by Arnall and Faria. Finishing out the top five were DeGase and Vanshle.

Seventeen IMCA Modifieds lined up side-by-side for their 20-lap feature race with Mike Koch on the pole and Wayne Johnston on the outside. Row two housed Lance Stilling and Shannon Clinton. In row three sat D.J. Twitty and Randal Griffin.

Following a bad start, the field was lined back up for an original restart. On lap 1, Johnston led the way followed by Koch, Wayne Graybeal, Clinton, Rob Muilenburg and Griffin. On lap 4, Graybeal took control of the field followed by Johnston, Muilenburg, Rex Sawyer, Koch and Twitty. At the halfway point, Nial Castle was black flagged when he and Jimmy Joe Morrison got together sending Castle hard into the front stretch wall and leaving Morrison with heavy sheet metal damage. At the same time, Griffin suffered mechanical problems ending his race for the evening and David Hess looped his car in turn 2.

On the restart, Graybeal was the race leader followed by Muilenburg, Sawyer, Twitty, Johnston, Koch and Tim Wright. On lap 16, no caution was thrown when Billy Holcomb spun his car twice in turn 2 and Stilling left the race with mechanical problems. On lap 17, Clinton experienced mechanical problems and fell off the pace. Graybeal continued his lead all the way to the checkered flag followed by Muilenburg and Sawyer. Finishing out the top five were Twitty and Wright.

Dennis and Kevin Linck held the pole position in the eleven car field in the 15-lap Cruiser feature and Dave and Gene Crisenbery sat on the out side. Row two stabled Briggs/Ulferts and Bryant/Curtis. In row three sat Richardson/VanDuren and Perry/Baker. On lap one, the Lincks were leading the way when the Crisenberys got together with Briggs/Ulferts bringing out a caution and an original restart. On the restart, the Lincks took the lead followed by Briggs/Ulferts, Richardson/VanDuren, Bryant/Curtis, Likes/Stone and Perry/Baker and the Crisenbery’s left the track with a flat tire. On lap 5, fans voiced their approval when Bryant/Curtis were black flagged and forced to leave the track after they got together with Likes/Stone on the backstretch forcing the #22 onto the top the wall and coming to rest in turn 3. On the restart, the Lincks resumed their lead followed by Briggs/Ulferts, Richardson/VanDuren, Perry/Baker, and Cantrall/Foster. On the final lap as Perry/Baker challenged Richardson/VanDuren for third, the Lincks got loose on the backstretch, but managed to hold on to take the checkered flag first for the win followed by Briggs/Ulferts and Richardson/VanDuren. Finishing out the top five were Perry/Baker and Cantrall/Foster.

Twenty-two Late Models filled the track for their 40-lap feature race with Mike Bowers, #60, on the pole and Jason Snodgrass, #71 on the outside. When the green flag flew, Bowers took the lead followed by Snodgrass, Ken Essary, Terry Phillips, Raymond Merrill and Les Essary. On lap 2, a caution was thrown when Phillips and Bill Frye got together send Frye into the infield and to the tailback position. On the restart, Bowers reclaimed the lead followed by Merrill, Les Essary, and Jerry Buck. On lap 6, the #55 of Ken Essary pulled of the track due to mechanical problems. On lap 9, a caution was thrown when Jerry Walker slid off the track coming out and into the infield coming out of turn 3. On the restart, Bowers was the race leader followed by Phillips, Les Essary, Snodgrass, and Steve Rushing. At the halfway point, the caution flag flew again when Rick Lebow hit the wall in turn 3. The restart saw another flag when several cars piled up in turn 4 leaving two of the cars stuck together. When racing action resumed Bowers assumed the lead position with Phillips, Essary, Rushin, and Snodgrass falling in behind. On lap 37, the final caution was thrown when David Gibson looped his car in turn 4. On the restart, Bowers would maintain his lead all the way to the checkered flag followed by Phillips and Essary. Finishing out the top five were Rushin and Snodgrass.

Racing action resumes this Friday night at NCAS when the Bank of the Ozarks presents a full race program. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. and racing action begins at 8:00 p.m.

NCAS is located on Hwy. 62/412 between Flippin and Yellville. For the latest racing news and information, contact the track at 870-449-LAPS or visit their website at www.northcentralarspeedway.com.